


Games Batman Plays

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 08:16:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10850037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: Tim and Dick have a discussion.





	Games Batman Plays

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "Cat and Mouse."
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal 1st-Mar-2012.

“Has Batman ever actually captured Catwoman and brought her in?” Warming up his bench pressing, Tim pushed up on the barbell, and did a few repetitions before having Dick switch it out for a heavier one.

After making sure Tim was okay, Dick answered, “She’s a thief, but he respects her, too. And the more leeway he gives her, the more help she proves to be to him. Before she does something to set them back at zero again.” Tim did another few reps, then Dick asked, “Why?”

“Just thinking. The two of them are back and forth and back and forth, he chases her, she antagonizes him, he threatens, she teases, she threatens, they make out, they fight, and it never ends. I’d say it’s so cat and mouse, but I think it would be backwards. Isn’t he the predator?”

Dick took the barbell from Tim and set it in its place. “In the sense that he’s trying to apprehend her to keep her from committing crime, yes. But in the sense that she’s the one doing most of the teasing and leading him on? She’s definitely the predator there.”

Sitting up to stretch, Tim said, “So she really is the cat sometimes.”

“I’d say most of the time. Even when she’s catnapping, she’s thinking of what to do next.”

Both Tim and Dick grabbed dumbbells for some curls, and during the first rep Tim asked, “What about Joker?”

Grimacing, Dick asked, “What about him? Other than he’s horrible and crazy.”

“But that’s what I mean. I can understand the games with Batman and Catwoman. I mean, he needs a woman in his life and he can’t really have a normal relationship with a normal woman. Not the way he is, anyway.”

“Yeah, some guys—or girls—make it work with minimal problems. Selina isn’t conventional either so it works.”

“But why the games with Joker? I mean, not that Bruce should kill him, of course not. But… How many times can he put him in Arkham? Then Joker escapes and causes more mayhem that leads to pain and tears and blood and screaming and coffins, and Bruce staring at his computer and not sleeping at night. And you can’t tell me Joker doesn’t tease. Maybe not in the way Selina does, but it’s pretty close. We all know it’s a game to Joker.”

“A dangerous one at that. But I don’t have an answer to your question.”

“The constant back and forth is just ridiculous. There are essays on the Batman-Joker dynamic because no one can figure it out. Obviously Batman is the predator and Joker the prey, but only because Joker doesn’t really pursue Batman. People and things close to him, maybe. And I know he doesn’t exactly let Joker escape on purpose, because it’s not a game to him, but what he doesn’t isn’t effective.”

“I don’t understand why he doesn’t do more either. Not kill him, but bust his kneecaps, amputate something, maim him so he can’t hurt anybody else without putting a hell of a lot more work into it than breaking out of Arkham and having Harley do his errands.”

“I just don’t get it.”

“No one does. You’d think after Babs, and then Jason, everybody…”

“So Joker is the cat, antagonizing and teasing and playing, with Batman the mouse.”

“That sounds about right. And it’s got to stop.”

Alarmed, Tim asked, “Are you saying… What are you saying?”

“I don’t know. But talking about it this way… Maybe Bruce will realize he’s never in control.”

“Maybe he already does.”

“Then he’s crazier than we realize.”

There certainly was no winning sometimes for vigilantes, even those—or maybe especially those—on the same team as Batman. Sometimes there just weren’t answers to the games they were—or were not—playing.


End file.
